S. Hrg.

113237

NOMINATION OF WILLIAM W. NOOTER

HEARING
BEFORE THE

COMMITTEE ON
HOMELAND SECURITY AND
GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS
UNITED STATES SENATE
ONE HUNDRED THIRTEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
NOMINATION OF WILLIAM W. NOOTER TO BE ASSOCIATE JUDGE
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

OCTOBER 8, 2013
Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.fdsys.gov/
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Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

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COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS

THOMAS R. CARPER, Delaware Chairman
CARL LEVIN, Michigan
TOM COBURN, Oklahoma
MARK L. PRYOR, Arkansas
JOHN MCCAIN, Arizona
RON JOHNSON, Wisconsin
MARY L. LANDRIEU, Louisiana
ROB PORTMAN, Ohio
CLAIRE MCCASKILL, Missouri
JON TESTER, Montana
RAND PAUL, Kentucky
MARK BEGICH, Alaska
MICHAEL B. ENZI, Wyoming
TAMMY BALDWIN, Wisconsin
KELLY AYOTTE, New Hampshire
HEIDI HEITKAMP, North Dakota
JEFF CHIESA, New Jersey

JASON

RICHARD J. KESSLER, Staff Director

JOHN P. KILVINGTON, Deputy Staff Director
KATHERINE C. SYBENGA, Senior Counsel
R. BOCKENSTEDT, Deputy Staff Director, Subcommittee on Emergency Management,
Intergovernmental Relations, and the District of Columbia
DEIRDRE G. ARMSTRONG, Professional Staff Member
KEITH B. ASHDOWN, Minority Staff Director
CHRISTOPHER J. BARKLEY, Minority Deputy Staff Director
ANDREW C. DOCKHAM, Minority Chief Counsel
SARAH BETH GROSHART, Minority Counsel
LAURA W. KILBRIDE, Chief Clerk
LAUREN M. CORCORAN, Hearing Clerk

(II)

CONTENTS
Opening statements:
Senator Begich ..................................................................................................
Prepared statements:
Senator Begich ..................................................................................................

Page

1
7

WITNESSES
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2013
Hon. Eleanor Holmes Norton, a Representative in Congress from the District
of Columbia ...........................................................................................................
William W. Nooter, to be an Associate Judge, Superior Court of the District
of Columbia
Testimony ..........................................................................................................
Prepared statement ..........................................................................................
Biographical and financial information ..........................................................
Statement for the Record from Paul Strauss, U.S. Shadow Senator for the
District of Columbia .............................................................................................

(III)

2
3
9
10
28

NOMINATION OF
WILLIAM W. NOOTER
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2013

U.S. SENATE,
ON HOMELAND SECURITY
AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS,

COMMITTEE

Washington, DC.
The Committee met, pursuant to notice, at 3:04 p.m., in room
SD342, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Hon. Mark Begich, presiding.
Present: Senator Begich.
OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR BEGICH

Senator BEGICH. One thing I will try to do is I am going to make

this painless because I believe you are highly qualified.
Again, we are here to consider the nomination of William Nooter
to be Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District Columbia. We welcome you.
I am also pleased to have Congresswoman Norton here again.
Thank you very much for being here, and we appreciate your attendance.
I would also like to extend a warm welcome to your family in attendance. I know without your family you would not be able to do
this job. I know exactly how that is. And so thank you to them for
being here.
The Committee consistently receives excellent candidates nominated by the President and recommended by the non-partisan District of Columbia Judicial Nomination Commission. This process is
critical to ensuring we have the candidates who are experienced
and have the appropriate temperament for this position.
As we know, judges have critically important duties in our society. Judges must uphold and interpret the law, resolve disputes equitably, and protect the rights and liberties of our citizens.
If confirmed, I trust you will fulfill these responsibilities with respect, character and deference befitting the Court.
As many of you already know, Judge Nooter currently serves as
Magistrate Judge on the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Since his appointment in 2000, he has served in the Criminal
and Civil Divisions, Domestic Violence, and the Family Courts. He
is currently the presiding Magistrate Judge and serves on the
Chief Judges Judicial Leadership Team.
Prior to his appointment to the court, he worked at the law firm
of Jordan, Coyne & Savits from 1989 to 2000 and served as a trial
(1)

2
attorney with the Office of the Attorney General for the District of
Columbia from 1982 to 1989.
Judge Nooter, I have reviewed your biographical questionnaire
and believe you are well qualified to serve as Associate Judge for
the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. You have a distinguished career and I honestly thank you for your willingness to
participate and serve.
Before I go on, let me ask, if I can, Congresswoman Norton
again thank you for joining us. I know you have some remarks.
Feel free to share them with the Committee.
We will also include for the record your written comments.
TESTIMONY OF THE HONORABLE ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON,
A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA

Ms. HOLMES NORTON. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, for
accommodating Judge Nooter and I during this period when you
may not even have all of your Committee staff here.
But today, we have a particularly strong candidate. I will be
equally brief. You have before you the presiding Magistrate Judge,
who brings the kind of experience in the law that I believe prepares him well to be an Associate Judge of our Superior Court in
the District of Columbia, including having clerked for this very
court when he graduated with honors from George Washington
University Law School.
He has been, of course, in the general practice of law, but he has
worked throughout the justice system in the District of Columbia
in what was then called the Office of Corporation Counsel, now Attorney General. He has had 30 years of courtroom experience. That
is what you look for when you are dealing with a trial court. And
I certainly think his extensive experience will serve him well, it
will serve the court well, and it will serve the people of the District
of Columbia well, should the Senate choose to confirm him.
I am here this afternoon to strongly recommend that this committee recommend his confirmation to the full Senate.
Thank you very much for receiving us today, Mr. Chairman.
Senator BEGICH. Thank you very much, Congresswoman.
Our Committee rules require that the witness at a nomination
give their testimony under oath so therefore, I ask you to please
stand and raise your right hand.
Do you swear that the testimony you are about to give this Committee is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so
help you, God?
Judge NOOTER. I do.
Senator BEGICH. Thank you very much. Please have a seat and
go ahead and give us your opening statement and then I do have
a couple of quick questions.

3
TESTIMONY OF WILLIAM W. NOOTER,1 NOMINATED TO BE AN
ASSOCIATE JUDGE, SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA

Judge NOOTER. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee, thank you for
this opportunity to appear before you as a nominee for a position
as an Associate Judge in the District of Columbia Superior Court.
I am grateful to the Judicial Nomination Commission and its
chair, Judge Emmet Sullivanwho is herefor recommending me
to the White House. And I am grateful to the President for nominating me to this position.
Thank you, Congresswoman Norton, for your kind words in introducing me this afternoon.
I would also like to thank the Committee and its staff for handling this process so expeditiously, despite all the other pressing
matters pending before the Senate.
I would like to acknowledge and thank Chief Judge Lee F.
Satterfield for his support and leadership.
I also want to recognize my wife, Elissa Free, my father, Robert
H. Nooter who I do not know if he made it yet but he was planning
to make it heremy brother, Robert I. Nooter and his wife Barbara. My nephew, Daniel Nooter, is here. And my staff, Denine
Murray and Thomas Kinney, and other friends and colleagues who
have taken the time to be here today.
My daughter, Amandashe attends college in Iowaand my
mother, Nancy Nooter, and my other siblings could not be here, but
thanks to the wonders of modern technology, they can watch the
re-runs on your Web site.
One other person who I would like to introduce is Damian Miller.
He is a young man with whom I became acquainted in the Family
Court who has successfully emancipated from the foster care system. He not only made the Deans List at Hampton University, but
he is now the Special Assistant to the Director of the Child and
Family Services Agency, the District of Columbias child welfare
agency. I am so pleased that he can be here today. There he is.
Thank you, Damian.
I was born in St. Louis, Missouri, but landed in Washington, DC.
as a teenager and have never left. My legal career of over 30 years
has been spent primarily in D.C. Superior Court, first as a law student attorney and a judicial law clerk for Hon. Tim Murphy, then
as a trial attorney with the Office of the Corporation Counsel, in
private practice with Jordan, Coyne & Savits, and finally as a Magistrate Judge.
The length and breadth of my practice, as a prosecutor, defense
attorney, civil practitioner in both government and private practice,
and my 13 years as a judicial officer have well prepared me to take
on the additional responsibilities of an Associate Judge.
I have had the opportunity to serve on many court committees
and to take on leadership roles within the Court, which have only
deepened my love and respect for this vital institution that administers justice to the citizens of our city. I would be greatly honored
1 The

prepared statement of Mr. Nooter appears in the Appendix on page 9.

4
to continue to serve the Superior Court and the citizens of the District of Columbia as an Associate Judge, if confirmed.
Thank you again for considering my nomination and I look forward to answering any questions you may have.
Senator BEGICH. Thank you very much.
You are going to be in the fastest hearing in Washington, DC.
[Laughter.]
I just have two quick questions for you. I have reviewed your resume, your information, all of the history of your work. And I have
to say you are clearly highly qualified, especially because of the organization that recommended you. We have a similar system, as
you may know, in Alaska, an independent judicial process, which
recommends people for the Governor to appoint to certain seats. It
really makes the difference. It creates quality candidates versus political candidates. I think it makes our judicial system better because of that.
So thank you, for one, being here.
Second, my first questionand this is one that is more of a general questionwhy do you want to take on this position?
Judge NOOTER. Well, I have been in the role of a judicial officer
for 13 years now, as a Magistrate Judge. And I know that is the
role in the legal system I want to continue to be in for the rest of
my career.
I have found that I have been able to do, I think, a good job because of my prior experience as a trial lawyer and the abilities I
have developed as a Magistrate Judge to handle calendars, handle
many different kinds of cases. And this has been an extremely rewarding experience for me.
So I really just want to continue to serve the Court and the community by taking on additional responsibilities that are assignments that Associate Judges have. That would include jury trials.
One thing Magistrate Judges, by statute, do not handle are jury
trials. So it would include quite a number of different opportunities
for that and for other assignments, which I would look forward to.
Senator BEGICH. What do you think your biggest challenge is
going to be in this new position?
Judge NOOTER. Well, I am very familiar with the court system
itself. Having worked there for the past 13 years, having practiced
there for quite a few years before that. So I know the players, I
know the judges, I know the staff.
Going into any new assignment always involves a certain
amount of homework and learning the specific law that applies to
that assignment. Some areas of the law I am more familiar with.
I practiced as a civil practitioner for 14 years, so there would be
less of a learning curve there.
I have not been practicing as a criminal lawyer for quite a few
years, although I have sat in some criminal assignments, arraignment court and preliminary hearings and that sort of thing. There
would be more to learn there for me, to catch up on the latest legal
rulings in that area.
And then, I think while I am very much looking forward, if I get
confirmed, to presiding over jury trials, since that is something I
have not done in a while, I would need to just come up to speed
with the latest practices on handling that.

5
So there would be learning curves, really, to any new assignment. Our court is very fortunate with all of the training opportunities it offers all of its judges, Magistrate Judges and Associate
Judges. We all get training prior to being assigned to any new calendar, in that particular assignment.
If I come aboard as a new Associate Judge, I will get even more
broad training to help me adjust to the new role, and to learn some
of the differences between what I have been doing and what I will
be doing in that position.
Senator BEGICH. I said I only have two questions, but I have one
more. This is just from a non-lawyer, that is me. I have represented myself in court in Alaska a couple of times. I have apartments so I dealt with Forcible Entry and Detainer actions (FEDs).
I know how judges handle people like me, sometimes they are not
sure how to handle people like me because I am not an attorney.
But those that come, and especially you will face that, people come
in front of you that are not attorneys but represent themselves or
attempt to represent their interests.
How will you manage that, at the same time keeping an impartial view to the case that may be in front of you but trying to make
sure they are availing themselves to their proper resources? Maybe
they do not want to get an attorney.
Judge NOOTER. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That is an excellent
question because it has been part of our strategic plan and continues to be part of the Courts strategic plan to improve access to
justice. That includes, certainly, self-represented parties coming
into court. D.C. Superior Court has many calendar assignments
where there are unrepresented parties. One is small claims court,
where many of the parties are unrepresented, mostly on both sides.
But there are attorneys who appear there also.
I am currently handling a civil assignment that also involves a
lot of unrepresented parties. It is a collections and subrogation assignment.
So in that case, we generally have a lawyer on the side of the
plaintiffs and no lawyer on the side of the defendants, which is the
most common scenario.
So I have been dealing with that issue in that assignment. Our
recently modified Code of Judicial Ethics clarifies for judges their
role in this, which is that it is appropriate to make sure that selfrepresented litigants have some understanding of the proceedings
before them. And it is incumbent upon judges in those situations
to take some time to explain what the procedure is, what the status of the case is, and what is expected of the parties going forward.
Certainly, in Small Claims Court, before you go to trial you explain the whole trial process to the parties so that they can keep
their presentations within those limitations. But it is more relaxed
in Small Claims Court than it is in my court, the Collections Court,
which follows the regular civil rules.
Senator BEGICH. It is pretty cut and dried in Collections.
Judge NOOTER. Well, not necessarily, but the parties do have to
follow the rules more strictly. In Small Claims Court, the rules
allow you to interpret them more liberally.

6
But the Court has been developing legal resources for parties in
circumstances where there is really no funding for this. The Court
has collaborated with local bar associations and some local legal
services organizations to provide legal resource centers in the
courthouse. They are not there every day, but they are there some
days, where parties can go in and get legal advice about their case.
And this has proven very helpful so I always refer unrepresented
parties to those resource centers that are available, so that they
can get itbecause the line is that the Judge really cannot give
legal advice to a party who is not represented and cannot go so far
as to give an unfair advantage to an unrepresented party. So there
is a balancing act that takes place in the courtroom. But these additional resources have been very helpful.
Senator BEGICH. Very good.
I have three yes or no questions, these are the required questions. So let me go ahead and work through those, if I can.
Is there anything that you are aware of in your background that
might present a conflict of interest with the duties of the office to
which you have been nominated? It is a yes or no.
Judge NOOTER. No, Mr. Chairman.
Senator BEGICH. Do you know of any reason, personal or otherwise, that would in any way prevent you from fully and honorably
discharging the responsibilities of office to which you have been
nominated?
Judge NOOTER. No, Mr. Chairman.
Senator BEGICH. Do you know of any reason, personal or otherwise, that would in anyway prevent you from serving the full term
for the office in which you have been nominated?
Judge NOOTER. No, Mr. Chairman.
Senator BEGICH. Very good. Let me just check one thing here.
[Pause.]
The hearing record will remain open until 5 p.m. tomorrow, October 9, for the submission of statements and questions for the
record.
The hearing, at this time, is now adjourned. Thank you and congratulations.
[Whereupon, at 3:22 p.m., the Committee was adjourned.]

APPENDIX

Opening Statement of Sen. Mark Begich

Nomination of William W. Nooter
to be an Associate Judge, D.C. Superior Court
2:30 p.m.; Oct. 8,2013; SD-342

Today the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Cornmittee meets to consider the
nomination of William W. Nooter to be Associate Judge on the District of Columbia Superior
Court. Welcome to you.

I'm also pleased Congresswoman Norton is able to join us today to introduce this
nominee. Thank you for being here, Congresswoman.

I would also like to extend a warm welcome to the family and friends of our nominee in
attendance. Glad you could be here.

This committee consistently receives excellent candidates, nominated by the President,

and recommended by the non-partisan District of Columbia Judicial Nomination Commission.
This process is critical to ensuring we have candidates who are experienced, and have the
appropriate temperament for this position.

As we know, judges have critically important duties in our society. Judges must uphold
and interpret the law, resolve disputes equitably, and protect the rights and liberties of our
citizens. If confirmed, I trust you will fulfill these responsibilities with respect, character, and
deference befitting this court.

As many of you already know, Judge Nooter currently serves as a Magistrate Judge on
the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Since his appointment in 2000, he has served in
the Criminal and Civil Divisions, the Domestic Violence Unit and the Family Court.

He is currently the Presiding Magistrate Judge and serves on the Chief Judge's Judicial
Leadership Team. Prior to his appointment to the Court, he worked at the law firm Jordan,

(7)

8
Coyne & Savits from 1989-2000 and served as a trial attorney with the Office of the Attorney
General for the District of Columbia from 1982-1989.

Judge Nooter, I have reviewed your biographical questionnaires and believe you are well
qualified to serve as Associate Judge for the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.

You have had a distinguished career within the legal field that led you to this point. I
know you will bring extensive legal experience to the bench.

I look forward to your testimony and hearing more about your education, experience, and
why you sought this position.

Again, I want to thank you for your time today and your willingness to serve.

9
Opening Statement of William W. Nooter
Nominee for Associate Judge, District of Columbia Superior Court
October 8, 2013
Mr. Chairman and members of the Committee, thank you for this opportunity to appear
before you as a nominee for a position as an Associate Judge in the District of Columbia
Superior Court. I am grateful to the Iudicial Nomination Commission and its chair, Judge
Emmet Sullivan, for recommending me to the White House, and am grateful to the President for
nominating me to this position. Thank you Congresswoman Norton for your kind words in
introducing me this afternoon. I would also like to thank the Committee and its staff for
handling this process expeditiously, despite all the other pressing matters pending before the
Senate.
I would like to acknowledge and thank Chief Judge Lee F. Satterfield for his support and
leadership. I also want to recognize my wife, Elissa Free, my father, Robert H. Nooter, my
brother, Robert I. Nooter and his wife Barbara, my staff, Denine Murray and Thomas Kinney,
and other friends and colleagues who have taken the time to be here today. My daughter,
Amanda, who attends college in Iowa, my mother, Nancy Nooter, and my other siblings could
not be here, but thanks to the wonders of modem technology, they can watch the re-runs on the
Senate's website. One other person who I would like to introduce is Damian Miller, a young
man with whom I became acquainted in the Family Court who has successfully emancipated
from the foster care system. He not only made the Dean's List at Hampton University, but is
now the Special Assistant to the Director of the Child and Family Services Agency, the District
of Columbia's child welfare agency. I am so pleased that he can be here today.
I was born in St. Louis, Missouri, but landed in Washington D.C. as a teenager and never
left. My legal career of over thirty years has been spent primarily in D.C. Superior Court, first as
a law student attorney and judicial law clerk for the Honorable Tim Murphy, then as a trial
attorney with the Office of the Corporation Counsel, in private practice with Jordan, Coyne &
Savits and finally as a Magistrate Judge. The length and breadth of my practice, as a prosecutor,
defense attorney, civil practitioner in both government and private practice, and my thirteen
years as a judicial officer have well prepared me to take on the additional responsibilities of an
Associate Judge. I have had the opportunity to serve on many court committees and to take on
leadership roles within the Court, which have only deepened my love and respect for this vital
institution that administers justice to the citizens of our City. I would be greatly honored to
continue to serve the Superior Court and the citizens of the District of Columbia as an Associate
Judge, if confirmed.
Thank you again for considering my nomination and I look forward to answering any
questions you may have.

10
REDACTED
QUESTIONNAIRE FOR NOMINEES TO THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COURTS
COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS
UNITED STATES SENATE
I. BIOGRAPmCAL AND PROFESSIONAL INFORMATION

1.

Full name (include any former names used).

William Ward Nooter

2.

Citizenship (if you are a naturalized U.S. citizen, please provide proof of your
naturalization).

I am a citizen of the United States of America.

3.

Current office address and telephone number.

Superior Court of the District of Columbia

500 Indiana Avenue, N.W., Suite 4450
Washington, D.C. 20001
(202) 8794814
of.

Date and place of birth.

February 8, 1954; St. Louis, Missouri.

S.

Marital status (if married, include maiden name of wife, or husband's name). List
spouse's occupation, employer's name and business addressees).

I am married to Elissa Blake Free, Executive Director of Communications. Georgetown

University Law Center, 600 New Jersey Avenue, N.W . Washington, D.C. 20001.
6.

Names and ages of children. List occupation and employer's name if appropriate.

Amanda Blake Nooter; 21 years old.

7.

Education. List secondary school(s), college(s), law schooJ(s), and any other
institutions of higher education attended; list dates of attendance, degree received,
and date each degree was received. Please list dating back from most recent to
earliest.

George Washington University Law School; 1977 to 1981; Juris Doctor (with honors).
1981.
St. John's College (Annapolis, MD); 1972 to 1976; Bachelor of Arts, 1976.

11
Eberhard High School (Washington, D.C.); 1969 to 1972; High School Diploma, 1972.
8.

Employment record. List all jobs held since college, other tban legal experience
covered in question 16, including tbe dates of employment, job title or description of
job, and name and address of employer. Please list dating back from most recent to
earliest. If you have served in the US military, please list dates of service, rank or
rate, serial number, and type of discharge received.

1979-1980
Billig, Sher & Jones, PC (now defunct)
2033 K Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20006
Law Clerk
1978-1979
Sidley & Austin (now known as Sidley Austin LLP)
1501 K Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20005
Law Clerk
1977 (approximately)
Mr. Henry's (now defunct)
Tenley Circle
Washington, D.C. 20016
Waiter
1977 (approximately)
Seafood Restaurant (can't recall name; now defunct)
Connecticut Avenue and Yuma Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.
Waiter
1977 (approximately)
Barclay Apartments

4716 Bradley Boulevard

Bethesda, Maryland 20815
Janitor
1976
St. John's College
60 College Avenue
Annapolis, Maryland 21401
Grounds Crew

12
9.

Honors and awards. List any scholarships, fellowships, honorary degrees, academic
or professional honors, honorary society memberships, military awards, and any
other special recognition for outstanding service or achievement.

In October 2000, I received a Certificate of Appreciation from the Bar Association of the
District of Columbia.
On June 20, 2003, I received the "Sernard T. Janney Award" from the Janney
Elementary School Parent Teacher Association "for outstanding service as a parent
volunteer."
10.

Business relationships. List all positions currently or formerly held as an officer,

director, trustee, partner, proprietor, agent, representative, or consultant of any
corporation, company, firm, partnership, or other business enterprise, or
educational or other institution.

Trustee, Sar Association of the District of Columbia Foundation (J 998 - present)

Board Member and Secretary. Janney Extended Day Program (2000 - 2003)
Owner, V Note Music (sole proprietorship) (1994 - 2000)
11.

Bar associations. List all bar associations, legal or judicial-related committees,

conferences, or organizations of which you are or have ever been a member, and
provide titles and dates of any offices which you have held in such groups.

American Sar Association

American Sar Association National Conference of Specialized Court Judges
District 3 Representative (2003 - 2006)
Chair of Domestic Law Committee (2003 - 2007)
Animal Legal Defense Fund
Secretary, Local Chapter (1982 - approximately 1985)
Sar Association of the District of Columbia (voluntary bar association)
Bar Association of the District of Columbia Foundation
Trustee (1998 - present)
Vice President (1999 - 200 I)
D.C. Courts Strategic Planning Leadership Council
D.C. Superior Court Civil Rules Advisory Committee
D.C. Superior Court Family Rules Advisory Committee
D.C. Superior Court Family Court Implementation Committee
Co-Chair, Family Court Panels Oversight Subcommittee (2011 - 2012)
Member, Juvenile Subcommittee
Co-Chair, Neglect Subcommittee (2005 - 2012)
D.C. Superior Court Family Court Forms Committee
D.C. Superior Court Family Court Panels Committee
D.C. Superior Court Family Court Scheduling Subcommittee
D.C. Superior Court Inter-agency Training Subcommittee
District of Columbia Sar

13
George Washington American Inn of Court
Vice President (2004 - 2005)
President (2005 - 2006)
Counselor (2006 - 2007)
Maryland State Bar Association
National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges
The Counsellors
Women's Bar Association
12.

Otber memberships. List all memberships and offices currently and formerly beld
in professional, business, fraternal, scholarly, civic, public, charitable, or otber
organizations, other than those listed in response to Question 11. Please indicate
wbether any of tbese organizations formerly discriminated or currently
discriminates on tbe basis of race, sex, or religion.

None.
13.

Court admissions. List all courts in which you have been admitted to practice, witb
dates of admission and lapses in admission if any sucb memberships have lapsed.
Please explain tbe reason for any lapse in membership. Please provide the same
information for any administrative bodies whicb require special admission to
practice.

District of Columbia, 1981

United States District Court for the District of Columbia, 1981 (lapsed in 2003)
State of Maryland, 1988
United States District Court for the District of Maryland. 1994 (lapsed in appro 2007)
United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, 1995
14.

Published writings. List tbe titles, publishers, and dates of books, articles, reports,
or other published material you have written or edited.

None.
15.

Speeches. List the titles orany formal speecbes you bave delivered during tbe last
live (5) years and the date and place wbere they were delivered. Please provide the
Committee with four (4) copies ofany of these speeches.

None.
16.

Legal career.
A.

Describe chronologically your law practice and experience after graduation

from law school, including:

14
(l)

Whether you served as a law clerk to a judge, and if so, the name of
the judge, the court, and the dates of your clerkship;

I served as a law clerk to the Honorable Tim Murphy of the District of

Columbia Superior Court from September 1981 to September 1982.
(2)

Whether you practiced alone, and if so, the addresses and dates;

I have not practiced law alone.

(3)

The dates, names, and address of law firms, companies, or

governmental agencies with which you have been employed.
1981

Law Offices of Stephen B. Bright, Robert Morin and Gerald Fisher

Washington, D.C.
Investigator and Co-counsel
1982 - 1989

District of Columbia Office of the Corporation Counsel

(now known as the District of Columbia Office of the Attorney General)
441 Fourth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20001
Trial Attorney
1989-2000

Jordan Coyne & Savits, LLP

1100 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 600
Washington, D.C. 20036
Senior Associate
2000 - present
Superior Court of the District of Columbia
500 Indiana Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20001
Magistrate Judge (originally designated as Hearing Commissioner)

B.

Describe the general character of your law practice, dividing it into periods
with dates if its character has changed over the years.

For a brief period in 1981, I worked with three criminal defense attorneys as an
investigator and, after being admitted to the District of Columbia bar, as cocounsel. I assisted them with their cases by interviewing witnesses, examining
crime scenes, drafting motions and I appeared as co-counsel with Mr. Bright in a
murder trial.

15
For one year, I served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Tim Murphy of the
D.C. Superior Court. During my clerkship, Judge Murphy was assigned to both
the civil and criminal divisions, and as a law clerk I drafted proposed orders and
opinions, handled inquiries from parties and counsel, and researched legal issues.
From 1982 to 1989, I was a trial attorney with the District of Columbia Office of
the Corporation Counsel (now known as the District of Columbia Office of the
Attorney General). I was assigned to the Juvenile Division from 1982 to 1986,
where I prosecuted juvenile delinquency cases during the first year of my tenure
and then focused on prosecuting child abuse and neglect cases from 1983 to 1986.
In 1986, I transferred to the Civil Division, where 1 was responsible for defending
the District of Columbia in civil lawsuits including torts, contracts, medical
malpractice, employment discrimination, constitutional torts, First Amendment,
and drug testing cases.
In 1989, I joined the law firm of Jordan Coyne & Savits, LLP and handled civil
litigation, primarily in tort cases including automobile accidents, premises
liability, products liability, professional malpractice, and employment law
matters.
Since October 2000, I have served as a Magistrate Judge in the D.C. Superior
Court. As a Magistrate Judge, I have been assigned to the Criminal Division, the
Civil Division, Family Court, and the Domestic Violence Unit. The majority of
my time has been handling a Neglect and Abuse assignment in the Family Court.
I have been the Presiding Magistrate Judge since July 20 IO.
C.

Describe your typical former clients and describe the areas of practice, if
any, in which you have specialized.
In ) 981, while working for three criminal defense attorneys, my clients were
indigent persons charged with criminal offenses. As a trial attorney with the
Office of Corporation Counsel, I represented the District of Columbia in juvenile
delinquency prosecutions, child neglect and abuse civil prosecutions, and civil
litigation. In addition, J also represented some petitioners in domestic violence
cases on behalf of the District. While in private practice, I typically represented
individuals insured by a number of insurance companies, as well businesses and
some governmental entities, in civil litigation.

D.

Describe the general nature of your litigation experience, including:

(1)

Whether you have appeared in court frequently, occasionally, or not

at all. Ifthe frequency of your court appearances has varied over
time, please describe in detail each such variance and give applicable
dates.
During all of the stages of my career, other than those during which I
worked at the D.C. Superior Court, I have appeared in court frequently.

16
(2)

What percentage of these appearances was in:

(a)
Federal courts (including Federal courts in D.C.);
(b)
State courts of record (excluding D.C. courts);
(c)
D.C. courts (Superior Court and D.C. Court of Appeals only);
(d)
other courts and administrative bodies.
I estimate that approximately 70% of my court appearances have been in
the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, 20% have been in state
courts of record excluding the D.C. courts, and 10% have been in federal
courts.

(3)

What percentage of your litigation has becn:

(a)
(b)

civil;
criminal.

I estimate that approximately 90% of my litigation practice has been civil

and 10% has been criminal.
(4)

What is the total number of cases in courts of record you tried to

verdict or judgment (rather than settled or resolved, but may include
cases decided on motion if they are tabulated separately). Indicate
whether you were sole counsel, lead counsel, or associate counsel in
these cases.
As counsel, I estimate that I have tried over 100 cases to verdict, mostly as
sole counsel.

(5)

What percentage of these trials was to

(a)
(b)

a jury;
the court (include cases decided on motion but tabulate them
separately).

Approximately 20% of my trials were to a jury and 80% were to the court.

17.

Describe the five (5) most significant litigated matters which you personally
handled. Provide citations, if the cases were reported, or the docket number and
date if unreported. Give a capsule summary of the substance of each case and a
succinct statement of what you believe was of particular significance about the case.
Identify the party/parties you represented and describe in detail the nature of your
participation in the litigation and the final disposition of the case. Also state as to
each case, (a) tbe date of representation; (b) the court and tbe name ofthe judge or
judges before whom tbe case was litigated; and (e) the name(s) and address(es) and,
telephone number(s) of co-counsel and of tbe principal counsel for the other parties.

17
I.

In re: LaShawn R., 114 D.W.L.R. 1109 (D.C. \986)

In this case, the child's parent had failed to ensure that the child attended school on a
regular basis (attending no more than 30 days in the preceding six years). I represented
the District of Columbia and, after a trial, D.C. Superior Court Judge Susan Holmes (now
Judge Susan Winfield) held that the evidence was sufficient to find that the child was
neglected under the relevant statute. There was no appeal and the child was ordered into
a residential educational program. This case was legally significant because it was the
first published case in this jurisdiction in which a child was deemed "neglected" based
solely upon educational deprivation.
Mother's counsel
Diane Weinroth
American University Washington College of Law
4801 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20016
(202) 2744155
Child's counsel
J. Barbara Lindskold
Retired - current address and telephone number unknown
2.

District of Columbia v. Howell, 607 A. 2d 501 (D.C. 1992)

I tried this ten-day jury trial before D.C. Superior Court Judge Sylvia Bacon with cocounsel. representing the District of Columbia in a negligence action in approximately
1988. The plaintiff, a minor, and his parents sued the District of Columbia and American
University for severe bum injuries he received in a summer science program conducted
by American University personnel in a D.C. public school. The jury awarded a large
verdict against the defendants, which was appealed. While most of the award was upheld
on appeal, the D.C. Court of Appeals agreed with the argument we had made to the trial
court that a parent cannot recover loss of consortium for injury to a child. While I did not
litigate the appeal, most of the issues argued in the appeal had been raised at trial and in
post-trial motions 1 had written with co-counsel.

Co-counsel
Carol Paskin Epstein
District of Columbia Office of the Attorney General
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N. W.
Washington, D.C. 20004
(202) 7245536
Plaintiffs counsel
Jeremiah C. Collins & Stephen Raber
Williams & Connolly LLP
725 12th Street, N.W.

18
Washington, D.C. 20005
(202) 4345032
Co-defendant's counsel
Edwin A. Sheridan
Sheridan, Persian & Associates
9842 Business Way
Manassas, Virginia 20110
(703) 3929215
3.

Huber v. General Electric Capital Auto Lease, Inc .. 676 A. 2d 467 (D.C. 1996)

While at Jordan Coyne & Savits, I litigated this automobile negligence case before D.C.
Superior Court Judge Jose Lopez and assisted in drafting the appellate brief. My client,
General Electric Capital Auto Lease, Inc. ("GECAL"). had leased a vehicle to one of the
defendant drivers on a longterm lease with an option to buy. At the close of discovery,
GECAL moved for summary judgment arguing that they were not the "owner" of the
vehicle at the time of the accident, as defined by the Financial Responsibility Act, and
therefore were not subject to liability. The trial court agreed and granted summary
judgment to my client. On appeal, the D.C. Court of Appeals affirmed. significantly
clarifying the provisions of the D.C. Code with respect to the definition ofan "owner"
under these circumstances.
Plaintiffs counsel
Joseph Mulhern
20 Courthouse Square, Suite 218
Rockville, Maryland 20850
(30 I) 424-4621
4.

Hall v. Ford, 856 F.2d 255 (D.C. Cir. \988)

In this matter, the plaintiff had been the Athletic Director of the University of the District
of Columbia ("UDC") prior to being terminated by President Ford after he made public
allegations about improper activities within the Athletic Department. He sued. claiming
violations of his First Amendment rights, as well as property and liberty rights in
connection with the job termination. While working in the Civil Division of the D.C.
Office of the Corporation Counsel, I represented the President of UDC in this action in
the District Court for the District of Columbia before Judge Oliver Gasch. Prior to trial, I
moved to dismiss the plaintiffs complaint, which the trial court granted as to all counts.
That decision was affirmed on appeal to the D.C. Circuit.
Plaintiffs counsel
Stanley A. Freeman
1875 Eye Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20006
(202) 466-6550

19
5.

Boyd v. Coleman. 906 F.2d 783 (D.C. Cir. 1990)

While assigned to the Civil Division of the Office of the Corporation Counsel, I tried this
week-long bench trial before United States District Judge Oliver Gasch with two cocounsel. The plaintiffs were firefighters and EMT personnel of the District of Columbia
who challenged the constitutionality of the D.C. Fire Department's drug testing policy
and procedures. The trial court granted partial summary judgment on the issue of the
constitutionality of the drug testing program, but conducted a trial on whether the specific
methods and procedures used by the Police and Fire Clinic comported with the Fourth
Amendment. After trial, the court found in favor of my client, holding that the
procedures in use at the clinic were sufficiently reliable to withstand the constitutional
challenge asserted by the plaintiffs. The decision was affirmed by the D.C. Circuit.
Co-counsel
Rachel Evans
4520 East-West Highway
Bethesda, Maryland 20814
(301) 951-9191
Ronald Harris
300 Indiana Avenue, N.W.
Room 41 15
Washington, D.C. 20001
(202) 727-4129
Plaintiffs counsel
Bemard J. DiMuro
11 0 1 King Street, Suite 610
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
(703) 684-4333
18.

Describe tbe most significant legal activities you bave pursued, including significant
litigation wbieb did not proceed to trial or legal matters that did not involve
litigation. Deseribe the nature of your partieipation in eaeh instanee deseribed, but

you may omit any information protected by the attorney-client privilege (unless the
privilege bas been waived).

As a Magistrate Judge, I have served on many D.C. Superior Court committees, two of
which I believe are of particular significance. First, I served on the Family Court Panels
Committee, which established panels of court-appointed lawyers who are qualified to
represent parties in neglect and abuse and juvenile delinquency cases in D.C. Superior
Court. In addition to serving on the original committee that first developed the panels, I
also co-chaired and served on the Family Court Panels Oversight Subcommittee, which
added new attorneys and ensured that those admitted on panels continued to represent
their clients effectively.

20
Second, I was also a member of the Strategic Planning Leadership Council, which helped
the D.C. Courts develop a Strategic Plan for 2013 to 2017. The Council solicited and
obtained input from more than 4,000 court participants and stakeholders to identity areas
of future improvement As a result, the Courts have set a number of priority action items
and have set up management action plans to address issues such as the timely resolution
of cases, the creation of a court user code of conduct, the increased use of technology,
and the improvement of access to justice in our courts.
Also, since July 2010, I have been the Presiding Magistrate Judge of the D.C. Superior
Court. In this role, I participate on the Chief Judge's Judicial Leadership Team, ensure
that all magistrate judge assignments are covered for both scheduled and emergency
leave, work with the presiding and deputy presiding judges of the other divisions on
matters related to the magistrate judge assignments in their divisions, and provide
leadership to the magistrate judge community.
19.

Have you ever held judicial office? If so, please give the details ohuch service,
including the court(s) on which you served, whether you were elected or appointed,
the dates of your service, and a description of the jurisdiction of the court. Please
provide four (4) copies of all opinions you wrote during such service as a judge.

In September 2000, I was sworn in as a Hearing Commissioner for the Superior Court of
the District of Columbia, after being nominated by former Chief Judge Eugene Hamillon
and confirmed by the Board of Judges. In 2002, the title was changed to Magistrate
Judge. The jurisdiction of D.C. Superior Court Magistrate Judges is set forth in D.C.
Code Sections 11-1732 and 11-1732A. During my tenure, I have been assigned to the
Criminal and Civil Divisions, the Family Court, and the Domestic Violence Unit. While
in the Family Court, I have issued findings in neglect cases. Redacted versions of those
decisions are supplied. I have also issued opinions during my service in the Civil
Division and in domestic relations cases; those opinions are supplied as well.
A. List all court decisions you have made which were reversed or otherwise
criticized on appeal.
In re: ANG. P. and AND. P., Case Nos.II-FS- 1584 & 11-FS-1585 (D.C. Apr. 22,

2013). In this case, I found that two children, who were five- and fourteen-years old,
were neglected based upon their mother's use of prescribed medications that often
caused a state of unconsciousness (including during the trial). The D.C. Court of
Appeals reversed my decision, finding that there had not been any evidence presented
that the five-year old had been left unattended during any ofthese periods of
unconsciousness and that the fourteen-year old was mature enough to care for the
younger child.
20.

Have you ever been a candidate for elective, judicial, or any other public office? If
so, please give the details, including the date(s) of the election, the office(s) sought,
and the results of the election(s).

21
I applied for the position of Hearing Commissioner in May 1999 and July 2000. I also
submitted applications to become a D.C. Superior Court judge from 2001 to 2005 and
again from 2008 to 2013. Otherwise, I have not been a candidate for elective, judicial, or
other public office.
21.

Political activities and affiliations.

List all public offices, either elected or appointed, which you have held or sought as
a candidate or applicant.

None.

List all memberships and offices held in and services rendered to any political party
or election committee during the last ten (10) years.

None.

Itemize all political contributions to any individual, campaign organization, political

party, political action committee, or similar entity during the last five (5) years of
S500rmore.

None.
22.

To your knowledge, have you ever been Investigated, arrested, charged, or convicted
(include pleas of guilty or nolo contendere) by federal, State, local, or other law
enforcement authorities for violations of any federal, State, county, or municipal
law, other than for a minor traffic offense? Ifso, please provide details.

While a senior in high school, I was returning from Canada to the United States in my
friend's ear. During a border search of the car, border officials found a seed-like object
that they believed to be opium or some type of drug, and my friend and I were arrested
and held overnight. Several months later, I received notification that lab results
determined that the seed-like object was not opium, nor any other type of drug, and the
charge against me was dropped. Also, while not directly responsive to this question,
when I was fourteen ycars old, I was held in New York City as a runaway and returned
home.
23.

Have you or any business of which you are or were an officer, director or owner
ever been a party or otherwise involved as a party in any other legal or
administrative proceedings? If so, give the particulars. Do not list any proceedings
in which you were merely a guardian ad litem or stakeholder. Include all
proceedings in which you were a party in interest, a material witness, were named
as a co-conspirator or co-respondent, and list any grand jury investigation in which
you appeared as a witness.

22
In 1999, I was sued in state court in Prince George's County, Maryland by a disgruntled
litigant who had mental health issues. The case was dismissed.
As a Magistrate Judge, I have been sued in my official capacity four times, all of which
have been dismissed.
I. Roth v. King, No. 03-1109 (D.D.C.). In this case, members of the Family Court
bar unsuccessfully challenged the establishment of the Family Court Panels, the
procedures used to select attorneys for the Panels, and the proposed
implementation of a Guardian Ad Litem representation and training program. See
Roth v. King. 449 F.3d 1272 (D.C. Cir. 2006); Roth v. King. 2007 U.S. App.
LEXIS 28408 (D.C. Cir. Dec. 6, 2007).
2. Evans v. Robinson, No. 2007 CA 3287 B (D.C. Super Ct.). The mother in a
neglect case that I had handled sued the social workers, the Assistant Attorney
General of the District of Columbia, and her child's Guardian Ad Litem, in
addition to me, on claims that were not easily comprehensible from the complaint,
other than their relation to the Family Court case over which I presided. The case
was dismissed by Judge Gerald 1. Fisher on August 24, 2007.
3. Jordan v. Nooter, No. 2009 CA 007208 B (D.C. Super. Ct.). In this case, the
plaintiff sought my recusal from a case, due to related matters that I had handled.
The civil lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice by Judge Natalia Combs Greene
on November 18,2009.
4. Bradley v. NOOler, No. 2012 CA 0001149 (D.C. Super. Ct.). The plaintiff in this
matter sued a number of judges in the D.C. Superior Court who had presided over
cases in which she was a party. The pro se complaint alleged that I was an
"accessory at the fact, accompany abuse." Judge Todd Edelman dismissed this
case on March 2, 2012. Additionally, Judge Melvin Wright, Presiding Judge of
the Civil Division, issued a Memorandum Opinion and Order on March 15,2012,
requiring the plaintiff to seek leave of court before filing any future complaints.
24.

Have you ever been disciplined or cited for a breach of ethics for unprofessional
conduct by, or been the subject of a complaint to any court, administrative agency.
bar or professional association, disciplinary committee, or other professional group?
If so, please provide the details.

No.

23
II. POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
1.

Will you sever all connections with your present employer(s), business firm(s).
business association(s), or business organization(s) if you are confirmed?

Not applicable, as I am currently employed by the D.C. Superior Court.

2.

Describe all finandal arrangements, deferred compensation agreements. or other

continuing dealings witb your law firm, business associates, or clients.

None.
3.

Indicate any investments, obligations, liabilities, or other relationships which could

involve potential conflicts of interest.

None.
4.

Describe any business relationship. dealing, or financial transaction which you have
had in the last ten (10) years, whether for yourself, on behalf of a client, or acting as
an agent. that could in any way constitute or result in a possible conflict of interest
other than while in a federal government capacity.

None.
5.

Describe any activity during the last ten (10) years in which you have engaged for
the purpose of directly or indirectly influencing tbe passage, defeat, or modification
of legislation or affecting the administration and execution oflaw or public policy
other tban while as a federal government employee.

None.
6.

Do you bave any plans, commitments, or agreements to pursue outside employment,

with or without compensation, during your service as a judge? If so, explain.

None.
7.

Explain how you will resolve any potential contllcts of interest, including any that
may have been disclosed by your responses to the above items. Please provide three
(3) copies of any trust or other relevant agreements.

If any conflict of interest or potential conflict of interest arises, I will resolve it pursuant
to the District of Columbia Code of Judicial Conduct.
8.

If confirmed, do you expect to serve out your full term?

Yes.

24
1lI. FINANCIAL DATA

RBDACTED

All information requested under this heading must be provided for yourself, your spouse,
and your dependents. (This information will not be published in the record of the hearing
on your nomination, but it will be retained in the Committee's files and will be available for
publi~ inspKtion.)

25
IV. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA REQUIREMENTS
Supplemental questions concerning specific statutory qualifications for service as a judge
in the courts of the District of Columbia pursuant to the District of Columbia Court
Reform and Criminal Procedure Act of 1970, D.C. Code Section I 1 - 150 1 (b), as amended.

1.

Are you a citizen of the United States?

Yes.

2.

Are you a member of the bar of the District oC Columbia?

Yes.

3.

Have you been a member oftbe bar ofthe District oCColumbia for at least five (5)
years? Please provide the date you were admitted to practice in the District of
Columbia.
Yes. I was admitted to the District of Columbia baron lune 19, 1981.

4.

5.

If the answer to Question 3 is "no" --

A.

Are you a professor of law in a law school in the DistrictoCColumbia?

B.

Are you a lawyer employed in tbe District of Columbia by tbe United States
or tbe District oC Columbia?

C.

Have you been eligible for membersbip in the bar of the District of Columbia
for at least five (5) years?

D.

Upon wbat grounds is tbat eligibility based?

Are you a bona fide resident of the District of Columbia?

Yes.

6.

Have you maintained an actual place of abode in tbe greater Wasbington, D.C. area
for at least fIVe (5) years? Please list tbe addresses of your actual places of abode
(including temporary residences) with dates of occupancy for the last five (5) years.
Yes. Since 1988, I have resided at

7.

REDACTED

Washington, D.C. 20016.

Are you a member of the District of Columbia Commission on Judicial Disabilities

and Tenure or the District oC Columbia Judicial Nominating Commission?
No.

26
8.

Have you been a member of eitber of tbese Commissions within the last 12 montbs?

No.

9.

Please provide tbe eommittee witb four (4) eopies of your District of Columbia
Judicial Nomination commission questionnaire.

Four copies are supplied.

27
AFFIDAVIT

William Ward Nooter, being duly swom, hereby states that he has read and signed the
foregoing Statement on Biographical and Financial Information and that the information
provided therein is, to the best of his knowledge. current, accurate, and complete.

8RIAN K PRIce
District of Columbia, Notary Public
My Commission expires

Au9llltsl.2014

28

PREPARED STATMENT OF
THE HONORABLE PAUL STRAUSS
U.S. SHADOW SENATOR
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
On the Nomination of
William W. Nooter
To be an Associate Judge on the
District of Columbia Superior Court

Before the
United States Senate
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Dirksen Senate Office Building - Room 50-342
October 8, 2013 - 2:30 p.m.

29
Senator Begich and Members of the Committee on Homeland Security and
Govemmental Affairs, I am Paul Strauss, the United States Senator elected by the voters
of the District of Columbia, I appreciate this opportunity to provide this statement on
behalf of my constituents in the District of Columbia. In addition to my elected position, I
am also an attorney who has practiced in the local courts of the District of Columbia. In
each of these capacities, I wish to express my wholehearted support for President
Obama's nomination of the Honorable William Ward Nooter to serve as an Associate
Judge for the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
Judge William Nooter has a long and distinguished history of serving the cause of
justice here in the District of Columbia. Judge Nooter completed law school with honors
at George Washington University in 1981, and during his time in law school he served as
a Student Investigator for the Public Defender Service at Saint Elizabeth's Hospital. He
also participated in the D.C. Law Students in Court Program one of our community's
longest and most successful legal clinics where law students are provisionally admitted to
a limited practice before the bar to provide free legal representation in DC Courts to low
income litigants.
Following his graduation from law school, Judge Nooter represented the District
of Columbia government from 1982 to 1989 as a trial attorney for the Office of the
Corporation Counsel (now Office of the Attorney General). While assigned to the
Juvenile Section he litigated the now precedential case of "In re LaShawn R. ", a case
which is still cited in the annotations of the Official D.C. Code at section 16-2301. He
later went on to an assignment in that office's Civil Division defending the District of
Columbia in numerous civil actions in D.C. Superior Court and the United States District
Court for the District of Columbia.
Prior to being appointed as a Magistrate Judge, Judge Nooter worked in private
practice with the law firm of Jordan, Coyne, & Savits. There he tried civil cases in
District of Columbia and Maryland courts from 1989 to 2000. He handled cases which
included personal injury actions, professional liability, employment and insurance
coverage issues.
Mr. Nooter is dedicated to involvement and improvement of the judiciary as
evidenced by the organizations on which he serves. Mr. Nooter serves as Trustee for the
Foundation of the Bar Association for the District of Columbia and served as Secretary
on the Board of Directors for the Janney Elementary School Extended Day Program from
2000 to 2003. He has also volunteered his services as a civil mediator for the Multi-Door
Dispute Resolution Division of the Superior Court from 1988 until his appointment to the
Court in 2000. In addition, Mr. Nooter is a member of the National Council of Juvenile
and Family Court Judges, a member of the National Conference of Specialized Court
Judges, Judicial Division, American Bar Association, and the George Washington
American Inn of Court. Judge Nooter serves on numerous Superior Court Committees
and is currently co-chair of the Neglect Subcommittee of the Family Court
Implementation Committee. Judge Nooter has also participated in numerous training
programs for lawyers, law students, social workers, foster parents and new judges.

30
In addition to serving the District in a judicial capacity, the Honorable William
Nooter also serenades the District of Columbia with his seven member rock band; "Deaf
Dog and the Indictments". I have heard them perform, and they are surprisingly good. I
mention this because it shows that he is an active member of the District of Columbia
community not just as a judicial officer, but as a well-rounded citizen whose involvement
in the civic and cuIturallife of the city expands well beyond the bench.
For those of us who have known him and had the opportunity to appear in his
court, it is clear from Judge Nooter's history as a Magistrate Judge, that he is more than
capable of serving our community as an Associate Judge with the same integrity and
steadfast commitment to justice. There is no question that Judge Nooter deserves all of
the requisite prestige which accompanies a Presidential nomination and the advice and
consent of the United States Senate. However, I look forward to the day when he will
enjoy the even greater dignity of full citizenship. Until that day, since neither I, nor any
other District resident can cast a vote on his behalf in this Senate, I am limited to asking
you to cast your vote to confirm Judge Nooter on behalf of myself and the constituents I
represent.
Thank you for the opportunity to present this statement for the record.